Material loading apparatus



Feb. 27, 1951 c. F. BALL MATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 7, 1947 H004UMUHUUUUMUUUUMMU Feb. 27, 1951 c. F. BALLMATERIAL LOADING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fil ed March 7, 1947Patented Feb. 27, 1951 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE ManufacturingCompany,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application March 7, 1947, Serial No.733,007

12 Claims. (01. 198-10) This invention relates to material loading apparatus and more particularly to improvements in the material gatheringmechanism of an apparatus for loading coal, iron ore, hard rock orsimilar materials in mines.

In material loading apparatus, particularly in mobile loading machinesfor loading coal, iron ore, hard rock or similar materials in mines, theloose material to be loaded is moved onto the loading conveyor by meansof swlngable gathering arms driven by crank disks which run close to thetop deck of the gathering head. A very de sirable gathering arrangementfor material load ing apparatus includes an inclined deck up whichmaterial may be moved for deposit on a conveyor, and gathering armmechanisms including gatheringr arms guided at their upper ends andmoved by crank pins carried by disks rotating on axes perpendicular tothe plane of the deck surface. With such an arrangement, abrasivematerial being handled by the loading apparatus tends to work in andpack between the disk and the underlying deck surface, exertingconsiderable drag with a resultant large loss of power and over loadingof the material gathering mechanisms. Desirably, in order that the decksurface may have a minimum number of projections above it, the crankdisks may be recessed into the deck surface and rotate, as it were, inshallow pockets. This does not, however, obviate the 'difficulty fromdirt and other abrasive material working its way between the bottomsurfaces of the crank disks and the underlying deck surface. It isfurther desirable that the crank disks be supported and driven by heavyshaft members received in a drive mechanism, carried by the deckwallwhich underlies the crank disks, and this results in the formation of anopening through the underlying wall near the central portion of thelatter, through which opening it is important to prevent the passage ofdirt and other abrasive material into the bearing structure. Accordingitis desirable, for the reasons pointed out, to use a crank disk receivedin a pocket formed in the deck surface, with, in order to provide asmuch strength as possible, the lower surface of the crank disk veryclose to the Wall which forms the bottom wall of the pocket, and to provide adequate means not only for preventing the ingress of dirt or otherabrasive material into the bearings for the crank disk but also adequatemeans for preventing the building up or packing of a solid layer ofabrasive material between the bottom of the disk and the opposedsurface, and it is tl -iecoritemplation of the present invention toprovide an improved structure ineluding means for accom lishing each andboth of these results. As this crank disk and shaft drive of thegatherii possess many-ad vantages, it is very important to avoid thebuild ing up or packing of a solid layer of abrasive material betweenthe disk and the underlying deck plate, for a substantial portion of thepower required to effect disk rotation may, under such conditions, bedue t'o friction, and Were nothing done to keep" down this friction, thegathering mechanism would be overloaded, greatly decreas ing operatingef'ficiency.

It is accordingly an object of the present in vent-ion to provide amaterial loading apparatus having improved material gathering mechanismwhich overcomes, to a large extent, the packing of dirt or otherabrasive materials between the close running surfaces of moving parts ofthe gathering mechanism, and for preventing access of dirt to thebearing structure. Another object is to provide an improved materialgathering mechanism of the kind wherein crank disks are employed foractuating gathering arms, having improved means substantially to avoidpacking of dirt-between the bottoms of the disks and the closelyunderlying surfaces of the deck of the gathering head. A further objectis to provide an improved gathering mechanism wherein the rotatablecrank disks for actuating the gathering arms are formed with bottomcavities for receiving any dirt obtaining access between the disks andthe closely underlying surfaces of the head plate, and to providedischarge openings 01 dirt vents in the underlying plate with which thecavities communicate as the disks revolve for discharging any dirtcollected in the disk-cavities. Still another object is to provide agathering" head having crank disks for driving the gathering arms,wherein the head deck is recessed in a novel manner to receive the crankdisks, with the deck surface closely underlying the disks, and havingimproved means for preventing the packing of dirt or other abrasivematerial be tween the disksand the underlying deck surface. A stillfurther object is to provide the deck rec'esses with open sides, withthe crank disks projectiiig' laterally beyond the sides of the deck, sothat the dirt-collecting cavities in. the diskbottom at projecting sidesopen freely down wardiy in an improved manner, thereby to sup pl'e"eiit, to some extent, the bottom discharge openings the underlying decksurface. Yet another object is to Dl'bilid improved difli lie-i meansfor the crank disk bearings, so" that access 6f diifi t0 and packing ofdirt ar'OUlIl'd the upper disk bearing is substantially precluded.-The'se and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however,hereinafter more fully appear.-

In the accompanying drawings there is show'i'i for purposes ofillustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawin s:

Fig. 1 is" fidp new Of a gathering Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view-of thegathering head shown in Fig. 1, with parts of. the outer casing brokenaway to show structural details.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional 1 view taken on line 33of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially online 44 of Fig. 1, but with the crank pin turnedthrough 90. into itsforward position, showing details of the crank disk and arm structure.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View, on 'a're duced scale, taken online 5-5 of Fig. i. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the portion of the headdeckunderlying the crank disk and with the latter removed, showin the dirtdischarge opening. In this'illustrative embodiment of the invention,there is shown a gathering head, generally designated I, of a mobileloading machine of the frontal attack type for loading coal, iron ore,hard rock or similar material from the floor of a mine. The gatheringhead is normally disposed in a downwardly inclined position, as shown inFig. 2, during the loading operation and has an tical constructionhaving their smooth upper .i.

plane surfaces 1 lying substantially iiush with the-top surface of thedeck. As illustrated, the deck has its top plate circularly cut away at8 at the-front and-rear of each disk and the deck is circularly recessedat 9, to countersink the disk within the deck, and the recess 9 openlaterally at their opposite sides and the outer sides of the disksoverhang the'outer sides of the gathering head while the inner sides ofthe disks run closeto the loading conveyor 5. These disks have integralcrank arm portions Iii, Ill formed with upstanding crank pins H, II,herein located 180 apart with respect to the disk axes and to which;

swingable gathering arms 12 are pivotally connected. These gatheringsarms have forwardly projecting picks or claws l3, l3 lying above thehead nose 3 close to the top deck surface and are armed with picks orteeth 14. The gather-v ing arms have curved guide bar portions l5, I5,likewise armed with picks or teeth, projecting rearwardly from the armpivots andformed with downwardly opening arcuate slots l6, which re--ceive guide blocks I! pivctallymounted on the gathering head. Thesecurved guide bars and guide blocks serve to compel movementof thegathering arms in predetermined pathsas the crank disks are rotated sothat the gathering arms gather the material and move the materialrearwardly along the topof thehead-nose and deck toward the receivingend of the loading conveyor 5.

close to the top of the head deck and the plane top surfaces of thecrank disks so that an eflec tive wiping or clearing action is attained,pre- Venting the jamming and crushing of hard lumps of material beingloaded, greatly increase ing operating efficiency. Also, by providingthe:

gathering head with a smooth top deck and by avoiding pockets orrecesses in the disks. and

It will be noted that the gatheringarms and their guide bar portions arerelatively ..stronger structure results.

4 undue projections on the arms and other associated parts, undesirablepocketing and trapping of hard lumps is substantially avoided.

As shown in Fig. 4, the crank pins ll support bearings I9 enclosedwithin the hublike portions 28 of the gathering arms, and a retainerring 2| is supported on the crank pin and fitted within the bottom boreof the arm hub; and this retainer ring is formed with a peripheralupstanding flange fitted in a circular recess in the arm hub, thereby toprovide a dirt seal. A washer 22, secured to the upper end of the crankpin, engages the inner race of the upper bearing for holding thebearings and arm hub in place on the crank pin. Each crank disk has adownwardly extendingaxial shaft fitted and secured in the hub 26v of aworinwheel 21. The worm wheel hub is. journaled in spaced upper andlower bearings 28 supported within a gear casing 29 attached at itsupper sideto a plate 3i) integral with the gathering head beneath thehead deck. The upper, pincipal bearing is arranged with respect to itssupport and the disk so that the maximum radial thrust of the disk onthe bearing is supported close to the point of bearing support.

A worm -3I meshes with and drives the worm wheel and is secured to atransverse shaft 32, likewise suitably journaled within the gear casing.Each worm shaft has a sprocket 33 secured thereto exteriorly of the gearcasing, and each sprocket is driven by a drive chain 3 3 in any suitableand known manner. By supporting the-gear casing only at its upper sideOn the gatherin head, a much Such .manner of "support of the gear casingnecessitates, however,

the top plate closely to underlie the crank disk,- and suchclose-relation of the disk and plate is desirable so that'stable supportof the ,disk with respect to its bearing mounting is provided.- Anannular member 35 is secured to the upper side of each gear casing closeto the bottom of the crank disk and has an upstanding annular flange 35received in an annular recess formed between depending annular flanges3i on the bottom of the crank disk, thereby to provide a dirt seal.Since the manner of mounting the crank disks and the driving meanstherefor are fully disclosed in a copending application to W. E.Overturf, Serial No. 732,958, filed March 7, 1947, further descriptionthereof herein the packing of dirt or other material between the closerunning surfaces of the disks and head plate comprises cavities providedby hollowing out, at 42, the bottom of each disk all around exceptbeneath the crank arm portion ID, and the cavity so provided is adaptedto receive the dirt or other material which'passes beneath the disk. Theclosely underlying surface of the head plate 35 is cut away at 3 toprovide a dirt vent, and this cut-away portion cuts through the wallsofthe bore 40 at 44. Thus, as the crank disk revclves, the disk cavitypasses over the opening 43 in the head plate so that any dirt collectedin the disk cavity may be thrown out and may drop down through the openbottom of the head. Also,

any dirt collected between the walls of thebore 40. and the outerdisk-flange 31 will be discharged through the cut-away portion M and theopening 43. The provision of the relief cavity in the bottom of eachcrank disk, even while the disk bottom runs close to the top surface ofthe underlying plate, prevents packing of dirt, since the dirt isloosely received in the disk-cavity, and so is readily carried around,as the disk revolves, and discharged through the dirt vent. The cavities42 in the disk-bottom, at the outer overhanging sides of the disk,freely open downwardly so that dirt may drop downwardly in such manneras to supplement, tosome extent, the bottom discharge openings 43.. Thussupplemental'dirt vents are provided at the outer sides of the head, andthese vents :and the discharge vents 43am cumulatively' of a radialdimension equal to the radial dimensions of the cavities in thedisk-bottoms, so that any dirt which may collect in the cavities iseffectively discharged.

As a result of this invention, an improved material loading apparatus isprovided having improved "gathering mechanism wherein excessivefriction, due to packing of dirt or other abrasive material between theclose running parts and access of dirt to the bearing structure, aresubstantially avoided. It will further be evident that by recessing thecrank disks into the deck of the gathering head, with the top surfacesof the crank disks flush with the top surface of the deck, and byrunning the gathering arms and the curved guide bars relatively close tothe tops of the disks and head-deck, an effective clearing action isattained. It will also be evident that by the provision of the cavitiesin the bottoms of the crank disks and the cut-away portions in theclosely underlying. plates of the head-deck, packing of dirt or othermaterial betweenthe close running surfaces of the disks and head plateis substantially avoided. Further, by pro viding crank disks with bottomdirt-collecting cavities and by arranging the disks so that theyoverhang at their outer sides the sides of the gathering head, togetherwith the bottom discharge open ng in the head-deck, any dirt whichcollects in the disk cavities may freely drop out. By arranging the deckpate close to the bottoms of the crank disks, a more stable bearingsupport for the disks results, although such a structure necessitatesthe close positioning of the head plate to the disk bottoms. Therelatively narrow spaces between the disk bottoms and the underlyingdeck plate do not, however, become packed with dirt since the provisionof the bottom diskcavities and the dirt vents eliminate such packing'.Other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form whichthe invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that thisform of the same is shown for purposes or illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a material loading apparatus, a gathering head having a top deck,material gatheringv mechanism mounted on said head including a rotatablecrank disk journaled' in said head with its top surface substantiallyflush with the top surface of said deck, said head having a portionunderlying said disk provided with a plane upper surface lying close tothe bottom of said disk, and means for preventing the packing of dirtbetween the close running surfaces of said disk and head portioncomprising a dirt collecting chamber formed in the bottom of said diskand opening downwardly, and an opening in said head portion throughwhich any dirt collected in said disk chamber is discharged as said diskrevolves.

.2. In a material loading apparatus, a loading head having a top deck,material gathering mechanism mounted on said head including a rotatablecrank disk journaled in said head with its top surface substantiallyflush with the top surface of said deck, said disk having a solid crankarm portion andan upstanding crank pin at the outer extremity of saidcrank arm portion, said head having a portion underlying said diskprovided with an upper plane surface lying close to the bottom of saiddisk, and means for preventing the packing of dirt between. the adjacentsurfaces of said disk and said head portion comprising a hollowed outportion all around the bottom of said disk except along the crank armportion to provide a dirt collecting cavity, and said head portionhaving a discharge opening therethrough with wh ch the cavity providedby said hollowed-out portion communicates assaid disk revolves.

3. In a material loading apparatus, a loading head, material gatheringmechanism mounted on said head including a rotatable crank disk foractuating a gathering arm, a bearing support on said head beneath saiddisk by means of which the latter is journaled, said head having aportion below said disk provided with a plane top surface lying close tothe bottom of said disk, said head portion having a circular bore:receiving a portion of said bearing support, and means for preventingthe packing of dirt between the close running surfaces of said disk andsaid head portion comprising a dirt collecting chamber formed in thebottom or" said disk and facing downwardly, and an opening in said headportion cutting through the walls of said bore for discharging any dirtcollected in said diskchamber and between the walls of said bore andsaid bearing support portion.

4. In a material loading apparatus, a gathering mechanismincluding arotatablecrank disk having an upstanding crank pin for actuating agathering arm, a bottom support by means of which said disk is journaledand including a plate underlying said disk with its plane top surfacelying close to the bottom surface of said disk, and means for preventingthe packing of dirt between the close running surfaces of said disk andplate comprising a dirt receiving cavity in the bottom of said diskand-a discharge opening in said plate with which said cavity communtcates as said disk revolves.

5. In a material loading apparatus, a. gathering mechanism including arotatable crank disk having an upstanding crank pin for actuating agathering arm, a, bottom support by means of which said disk is:journaled and including a plate underlying said disk with its topsurface lying close to the bottom surface oi said disk, said disk havingan annular hub-like portion projecting from itsbottom and said plate having a circular bore with which the outer peripheral surface of saidannular portion has a close running lit, and means for preventing thepacking of dirt between the close running surfaces of said disk andplate comprising a dirt receiving cavity in the bottom of said disk anda discharge communicates as saiddiskrevolvesl said plates openingcutting through the walls of said bore to discharge any dirt between thewalls of said bore. and. said annular disk portion. i 6. In a materialloading apparatus, a gathering mechanism including a rotatable crankdisk having an upstanding crank pin for actuating a gathering arm, saiddisk having a solid crank arm portion at the outer extremity of whichsaidcrankpin is carried, a supporting plate un'-' derlying J said diskwith. its plane top surface lying'close to the bottom surface of saiddisk, and means for preventing the packing of dirt between the closerunning'surfaces of said disk and plate comprising a dirt receivingcavity all around the bottom of said disk'except along said crank armportion and a discharge opening in saidplate with which said cavitycommunicates assaid'disk revolves.

7. In a material loading apparatus, a gathering head, material gatheringmechanism mount-- ed on said head including a rotatable crank disk foractuating a gathering arm, a bearing mounting supported by said headbeneath said disk and supporting a hearing by means of which said diskis rotatably supported and closely underlying said disk so that stablesupport oi said disk with respect to its bearing mounting is provided,said head having its top surface closely adiacent to the bottom of saiddisk, and dirt relief means associated with said disk and said head forpreventing the packing of dirt between the close running surfaces ofsaid disk and head and for preventing access of dirt to the bearing,said dirt relief means including a dirt receiving cavity in the, bottomof said disk and a dirt vent in said head, said cavity and said ventbeing so arranged that as said diskrevolves any dirt collected in saidcavity may dropdown through said vent.

8. In a material loading apparatus, a gathering head having a top deck,material gathering mechanism mounted on said head including a rotatablecrank disk, said deck having a por tion underlying said disk providedwith a plane upper surface close to which the bottom of said disk movesduring disk rotation, and means for preventing the packing of dirtbetween said surfaces comprising a dirt receiving chamber formed in thebottom of the disk and opening downwardly and an opening provided bysaid deck portion through which dirt which obtains access to said diskchamber is discharged as the disk revolves;

' 9, In a material loading apparatus, a gathering head having a top"deck, material gathering mechanism mounted on said head including arotatable crank disk, said deck having aportion underlying said diskprovided with a plane upper surface close to which the bottom'of saiddisk is disposed, said deck having an opening therethrough andsupporting a bearing for said'disk coaxial with said opening, and saiddisk having a driving and supporting member extending through saidopening, and means for preventing the packing of dirt 'between the lowersurface of said disk and the upper surface of said deck portion and forpreventing the access ofdirt tosaid' bearing comprising an arcuate dirtcollecting chamber disposed outwardly of said opening and inwardly ofthe periphery of said disk, and dirt discharge means in said deckportion through which dirt collected in said arcuate chamber may bedischarged as saiddisk revolves.

. 10. In a material loading apparatus, a gathere' ing head having'a topdeck, material gathering mechanism' mounted on said head including .a'

rotatable crank pin supporting crank disk, said, deck having a portionunderlying said disk pro-j vided with a plane upper surface close towhich: the bottom of said disk is disposed, said deck. having an openingtherethrough and supporting a bearing for said disk coaxial with saidopening,

and said disk having a driving and supporting member extending throughsaid opening, and meansofor preventing the, packing of dirt. between thelower surface of said disk and the up-. per surface of said deck portionand for preventing the access of dirt, to said bearing comprising anarcuate dirtcollecting chamber dis-- posed'outwardly of said opening andinwardly of the periphery of said disk, and dirt discharge, means insaid deck portion through which dirt collected in said arcuate chambermay be discharged as said disk revolves, said disk having a centralportion lying in part within said opening and a connected radiallyextending crank arm forming portion intermediate the ends of saidarcuate chamber supporting and providing ,a' reinforcing member for saidcrank pin.

11. In a material loading apparatus, a gathering head having a top deckformed with a recess open at the outer side of the head, materialgathering mechan sm including a rotatable crank disk journaled withinsaid head and arranged within said recess with the bottom of said disklying close to the bottom of said recess, said disk at its outer sideprojecting outwardly through the open side of said recess so that thedisk overhangs the side of said head, and means for preventing thepacking of dirt between said disk and the recess bottom comprising acavity in the bottom of said disk having a portion which extendsoutwardly beyond the outer side of the bottom of the recess, and dirtdischarge meansin the recess-bottom and spaced inwardly of the diskperiphery and with which said cavity communicates as said disk revolves,said outwardly extending portion of said cavity which opens disk and therecess bottom comprising a cavity inthe bottom of the disk ofsubstantial radial dimension, and discharge vents from said recesscumulatively of a radial dimension equal to the radial dimension of thecavity and with which said cavity communicates as the disk revolves.

" CHARLES F. BALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 2,338,160 Arentzen Jan. 4,1944

